On the Precipe of Election Day...

Next Tuesday, many Americans will dash off, at one point of the day or another, and they will in many cases proudly exercise their right to vote. They will mistakenly and sadly believe adhere to the delusion that their individual votes count and matter.

Sad the situation is, but not because the votes don't matter, but because the individual vote cannot subvert the inevitable outcome. Trends are not random nor inconsequential: the upcoming elections will collectively validate the conventional opinion that the current regime, in light of the current state of affairs, is failing. So Republicans will win significanlty more seats than Democrats. They will win because the party in power will always lose seats when the country is experiencing the troubles that this country is plagued by right now.

I have been a lifelong Republican, and I could explain in detail why I subscribe to the right side. I won't though. The reason is that I will derive no satisfaction from the imminent shift to the 'right' side. The vote will designate not a shift to the right, but a shift away from the current dominant position. Few of the voters who swing to the other side will do so because they have made an ideological shift. Instead, they will vacillate because of a petty, superficial hope that different equals better.

I recognize that I have written here in generalites, but the point is that generalities rule the day. I believe this country needs a scare that will force the electorate to think deeply and strongly about the 'proper' way to encourage our citizenry to make long term ideological choices about the ideals that should be at the heart of our government.

We have all heard the rallying cry that exhorts people to vote their consciences. The troublesome thing is that they don't and they won't. In truth, they do not consult their consciences when determinng for whom they should vote. Rather, they vote against whichever side is currently in power.

Sure, I will make time to vote on Tuesday, but I will cast my vote with grave concern that few people will have done enough to identify thecandidates whose views morror theirs. They will choose their candidates for all the wrong reasons.